McKesson/HBOC shuts down e-health unit

iMcKesson, the e-health business launched with much fanfare by McKesson/HBOC less than a year ago, has met with a swift end. McKesson/HBOC plans to fold the unit’s physician and transaction processing services into its information technologies division and drop the iMcKesson name. The company attributes the sudden restructuring to changes in market conditions. iMcKesson CEO David Mahoney, who was also co-CEO of McKesson/HBOC, plans to leave the company. John Hammergren, chair of the board, is now president and CEO of McKesson/HBOC. iMcKesson lost $124 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, although $95 million of that was attributed to write-offs on investments such as WebMD.